Electrolytic cell



Nov. 3 1925 I. H. LEVIN ELECTROLYTIC CELL OriginaL Filed Oct. 4, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet i M INVENTOR Nov. 3, 1925.

I. H. L.EV!N

ELECTROLYTIC CELL Original Filed Oct. 4, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVIENTOR9% JV ATTQRNEX.

Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

' UNITED STATES I 1,560,250 PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC H. LEVIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOGAS INDUSTRIES COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Application filed October 4, 1921, Serial No.' 505,302. Renewed Kay 12,1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC H. LEVIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrolytic Cells, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof.

My invention relates to electrolytic cells,

and more particularly to that type of unipolar cell wherein thecontainer ortank for the electrolyte forms an electrode of one polarity,and a plurality of connected electrolyte chambers are formed by adividing partition, each electrolyte compartment.- having an electrodethereinof opposite po-..

larity to the tank and to the partition.

In cells of the type to which my invention relates, it has been thecustom heretofore to divide the container or tank by means of apartition spaced away from the bottom of the tank but merging into, andbeing mechanically and electrically connected with, opposite walls ofthe tank. By this construction the partition receives its electricalcharge through the medium of the tank as a conductor, the result beingcurrent loss due to the high resistance of this partition and a loss inoutput capacity due to an inability to secure an eflect-ive'distribution of the current throughout the entire partition.

I have heretofore filed an application for Letters Patent upon. a cellof this type wherein each of the electrodes upon opposite sides of thispartition are formed of oppositely disposed plates having terminal barspositioned between the plates and mechanically and electricallyconnected therewith at points well within the edges of the plates, thuspermitting the use of terminal bars having. suflicient cross-sectionalarea to offer low resistance to the current, while limiting the lengthof the path through which the current must flow to different portions ofthe plate, to secure an effective uniform distribution thereofthroughout the plate to an extent to compensate for and permit the useof plates of a thinness which would nor- -mally offer high resistance tothe current.

I have demonstrated that, by the extension of this Principle to thepartition dividing the container or tank, I may materially increase theefliciency of a tank used as an electrode and having a partition thereindividing this tank into separate electrolyte chambers.

I also so construct the terminals for the tank as to secure an effectivedistribution of the current throughout same particularly as to thesurfaces opposite those of the electrodes of opposite polarity.

The invention consists primarily in an electrolytic cell embodyingtherein a container or tank for the electrolyte forming an electrode,closure means for the top of said tank, a partitioning electrodedividing said tank into two communicating. electrolyte compartments,said tank' and said electrode being of the same polarity, independentterpartitioning electrode, inner electrodes of opposite polarity to saidtank and said partitioning electrode arranged. upon opposite sides ofsaid partitioning electrode and between same and the wall of said tank,means co-operating with said closure ncans for preventing thecommingling of gases adjacent the top of the cell, and diaphragmsextending from said last named means within said compartment and abouteach of said inner electrodes; and in such other novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth anddescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the claims heretoappended.

Referring to. the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a cell embodying my invention, withone of the plates of the partitioning'electrode broken away;

r Fig. 2 is asection on the line 2-2 of Fi 1' Fig. 3is a section on theline 3-3 of Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similarto Fig. 1, showing a different embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6- 6 of minal bars carried by said tankand said N closure means I).

to give the proper location and present an effective surface area to anopposed inner baflies 0 carried by said cover and extending below thenormal level of the electrolyte in the tank. Since the invention relatesto a multiple unit cell construction, I' provide two such bafiies, onearranged above each inner electrode in a manner which will more fullyappear hereinafter.

In the form of the invention shown, the sealing of the closure means issecured by means of an hydraulicjoint formed by a trough (1 about thetop. of the tank a'into, which projects a flange b of the cover or Thecharacteristics above referred to are old and well known in this art andmay take any desired form, as such are immaterial to the invention;

It is also essential in cells of this construction to providecirculating means for the electrolyte adjacent the top of the tank a, ashowing of which, however, is not made in the drawings, as variousdifferent methods of circulating the electrolyte at this point may beemployed, and this particular characteristic is immaterial to thepresent invention. v I

The cover or closure means I) is insulated from the tank a and carriesno current,

which is the practice usually followed for simplifying the insulation ofthe terminalsof the inner electrodes.

The tank a as shown in the drawings, has long parallel side walls havinglarge surface areas, and short end walls of relatively smaller areas.

Heretofore in this art the tank a was divided into two communicatingelectrolyte chambers by means of a partition electrically andmechanically connected with opposite end walls, said partitionordinarily terminating below the top of the tank so as to not engage thecover and above the bottom of the tank so as to permit-electrolyte toflow freely from one side thereof to the other side thereof adjacent thebottom of the tank. "Vith this construction the partition forms anelectrode of the same polarity as the tank proper and draws its currentsupply from the tank. As a conseqluence the path of the current.withwhich t. ie partitioning electrode is charged is sufl'iciently long tocause the partition, which is of small cross-sectional area, to offerhigh resistance to the flow of the current, thus causing a materialvoltage drop in charging the partition and causing an unequaldistribution of the current throughout same with a resultant loweringboth of the electrical efficiency and the capacity output of the cell.

In my present invention, I obviate the difiiculties above referred to byso constructingbthe partition as to supply current there- 0 pen ent ofthose supplying current to the tank a, it being preferable to connectsaid bar or bars well within the edges of the partition so as tosubstantially equalize the re sistance of the current to all parts ofthe partition and thus'lower the resistance of the partition in itsentirety. v

While, for structural reasons, particularly in the form of the inventionshown in Figs. 4 to 6, it is desirable that the partition and itsterminal bars shall not be in electrical engagement with the tank a, theoperative effect. will be the same if either said partition or itsterminal bar is in such contact as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of thedrawings, wherein the terminalbars will have the operative effect offeeder lines establishing uniform potential of the tank and thepartitioning electrode.

In each form of the invention shown, the partitioning electrode.consists of parallel electrode plates ee' having positioned between samea terminal bar or bars f which are in mechanical and electricalconnection with said plates at-isolated points f-'-f= well within theedges of the plates e--e. The plates ee may be supported from the bottomof the tank by suitable insulators 0 or may be electrically connectedtherewith, as desired, the construction being such as to permit thecirculation of electrolyte from one side of said partitioning electrodeto the other side thereof adjacent the bottom of the tank a.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the tank a isprovided with openings in an end wall thereof through which the terminalbars f project so as to facilitate the connection of' these bars with abus bar. Since these openings are below means of a terminal bar or barsindethe normal level of the electrolyte'in the terminal bars upwardlyand pass them.

through openings in the cover or closure means I), said openings beingof relatively greater dimensions than the terminal bars so as to permitthe use of any desired form of insulating packing b about the bars toprevent short-circuiting of'the cell through the cover and the terminalbars of the inner e ectrodes.

trode e-e-, the electrode etween the plate e and the opposed inner wallof the tank a being composed of plates g--g' having terminal bars itbetween same and mechanically and electrically connected therewith wellwithin the edges of the plates so as to ensure substantial uniformdistribution of the current throughout the plates and minimize Qresistance thereof.

The terminal bar or bars 72. are shown as each being connected with theplates 9-9 at a plurality of points h'-h The inner electrodebetween theplate e and the opposed wall of the tank a is "electrically andmechanically with the tank composed of plates i-c" similar to the platesg and rovided with terminal bars 7' connected with said plates in amanner similar to that employed in connectingthe terminal bars h to theplates gg, t e points of electrical contact being shown at "j.

In both forms of the invention 5 own, the terminal bar or bars f and hproject through openin s in the cover or closure means b provi ed withthe usual of any desired packing to form a gas-tight point about same;

Carried by the bafiles 0 or other means forming. the gas chambers at thetop of the tank, are ordinary diaphragms k-lc extending completely abouteach inner electrode so as to prevent the commingling'of the gas bubblesliberated as a result of the decomposition of electrolyte.

As a result of theconstruction herein shown and described, thepartitionin electrode has the current supplied t ereto through terminalbars entirely independent of those supplying current to the tank a andhence t e resistance of the material 0% the tank is no iactor inmaintaining the proper potential throughout said partitioning electrode.When the partitioning electrode is in electrical connection with thetank, a small portion of this electrode may receive its charge throughthe tank, how-' ever.

By connecting the terminal bar or bars in the manner described, saidterminal bars w ll act somewhat as a feeder, or feeders, with relationto the tank itself, which con- ",dition will also prevail'ifthe'partitionin {electrode is in electrical connection wit he .tank,with this distinction that the ter- .minal bars f will then act in thenature of feeder-lines with relation to both the tank and thepartitioning electrode.

Along opposite'sides of the tank a are strips m having relatively largercross-sectional area than thewall of the tank, each of saidstrips havingelectrically and mechanically connected therewith a terminal terial ofthe tank and ensuring substantial uniformity in the distribution of thecurrent throughout the operative area of said tank. V

In this manner all of the elements in the tank are so constructed as topermit the utilization of a high amperage current with substantiallynovoltage drop as compared with the increased amperage, and overheating ofthe cell is prevented.

It is apparent that in a cell embodying my invention, the number ofpartitioning electrodes may be increased b multiplying the number ofunits in the ce 1, there, being added one inner electrode to eachpartition, and that this multiplication of units will not increase theresistance of the cell or causev a voltage-drop, except in directproportion with the number of units added.

The added weight of cells due to multiplication of the units, makes itdesirable in most instances to employ a dual unit cell. i

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details ofconstructionshown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent thatsuch may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having described the inventibn, what I top of said tank, a partitioningelectrode dividing said tank into two communicating v electrolytecompartments, said tank and said electrode being of the same olarity,independent terminal bars carried by said tank and said partitioningelectrode, inner electroges of opposite polarity to said tank and emsuch partitionin "electrode arranged upon opposite sides 0 saidpartitioning electrode and between same and the wall of said tank, meansco-operating with said closure means for preventing the comminglin ofgases adjacent thejtop of the cell, and iaphra extending from said lastnamed means within said compartment and about each of said. innerelectrodes.

2. An electrolytic cell embodying therein a container or tank for theelectrolyte forming an electrode, closure means for the to of saidtank,a partitioning electrode divi ing saidtank into two communicatingelectrolyte com artments, said tank and said electrode being of the samepolarity, independent terminal bars carried by said tank and saidparti'oning electrode, inner electrodes of opposite polarity to saidtankand said partitioning electrode arranged upon opposlte sides of saidpartitioning electrode an between same and the wall of said tank,terminal bars for said inner electrodes, means cooperating with saidclosure means for preventing the commingling of gases adjacent the topof the cell, and'diaphragms ing an electrode, closure means for the topof said tank, a partitioning electrode dividred 7 po arity' to said tankand said ing saidtank into two communicating electrolyte com rtments,said tank and said electrode being of the same polarity, independentterminal bars carried by said tank and said partitioning electrode, theterminal bar qf said partitioning electrode being mechamcally andelectrically connected there-" with at a point or points well within thes thereof, inner electrodes of -opposite ed 'pol srity to said tank andsaid partitioning electrode arranged upon opposite sides of saidpartitioning electrode and between same and the wall of said tank, meansco-operating with said closure means for preventing the commingling ofgases adjacent the top of the cell, and diaphragms extendin from saidlast named means within sai compartment and about each of said innerelec-' trodes.

4. An electrolytic cell embodying therein a container or tank for theelectrolyte forming an electrode, closure means for the to of said tank,a partitioning electrode divi ing said tank into two communicatinelectrolyte compartments, said tank an said electrode being of the samependent terminal'bars carrie by said tank and said partitioningelectrode, the terminal bar of said partitioning electrode beinmechanically andelectrically connected t erewith at a point or pointswell within the electrode arranged uponmpposrte sides of saidpartitioning electrode and between same and the wall of ;said tank,terminal bars" for said inner electrodes, said terminal bars for saidinner electrodes being l electrically and mechanically connected .t at apoint or ints well within the ed I of the el'ectr es, means co-operatmgw1th said closure means for preventing the com- (polarity, indethereof,inner electrodes of opposite artitiomng erewith minglin of gasesadjacent the top of the cell, an diaphragms extending from said lastnamed means within said compartment and about each of said innerelectrodes, the I terminal bar for said artitioning electrode pro'ectingthrough an beyond the wall of sai tank, and a liquid-tight joint beinformed between said bar and said wall, an said inner electrode terminalbars projectin through and beyond said closure means, an a gas-tightjoint being formed about said bars, whereby short-circuiting of the cellthrough the cover is prevented. I

5. n electrolytic cell embodying therein a container or tank for theelectrolyte forming an electrode, closure means for the to of said tank,a partitioning electrode divi ing said tank into two communicatingelectrolyte compartments, consistin of a plurality of parallel plates ofsmal cross-sec- .tional area and a terminal bar extendin between saidplates and mechanically an electrically connected therewith at a pointor points well within the edges thereof, a terminal bar mechanically andelectrically connected with said tank intermediate the top and bottomthereof, said tank and said electrode .being of the same polarity, innerelectrodes of opposite polarity to said tank and said partitioningelectrode arranged upon opposite sides of said partitioning electrodeand between same and-the wall of said tank, means c o-operating withsaid closure Ideans for preventing the commingling of ases adjacent thetop of the cell, and diap ragms extending from said last named meanswithin said compartment and about each of said inner electrodes.

6. An electrolytic .cell embodying therein a container or tank for theelectrolyte forming an electrode, closure means for the to of said tank,a partitioning. electrode divi ing said tank into two communicatingelectrolyte compartments, consisting of a plurality of parallel platesof small cross-sectional area and a terminal bar extending between saidplates and mechanically and electrically connected therewith at a pointor points well within the edges thereof, a terminal'bar mechanically andelectrically connected with-said tank intermediate the top and bottom.thereof, said tank and said electrode'beingof the same polarity,innerelectrodes'of opposite polarity to said tank and said partitioningelectrode and arranged upon opposite. sides of said partitioning]electrode and between same and the wall ofv said'tank, terminal bars forsaid inner. electrodes, means co-operating with said closure" means forpreventing the commingling of gases adjacent the to of the cell,anddia-.

bar I for said partitioning electrode project-- ing through and beyondthe wall of said tank, and a li uid-tight joint being formed betweensaid ar and said wall, and said inner electrode terminal bars projectinsectional area and a terminal bar extendin between said plates andmechanically an electrically connected therewith at a point or pointswell within the edges thereof, a terminal bar mechanically andelectrically connected with said tank intermediate the top and bottomthereof, said tank and said electrode being of the same polarity, innerelectrodes of opposite polarity to said tank and said partitioningelectrode arranged v upon opposite sides of said partitioning electrodeand between same and the wall of said tank, each of said innerelectrodes consisting of plates of small cross-sectional area and aterminal bar extending between said plates and mechanically andelectrically connected therewith at a point or points well within theedges thereof, means co-operating with said closure means for preventingthe commingling of gases adjacent the top of the cell, and diaphragmsextending fromsaid last named means within said compartment.

and about each of said inner electrodes.

8.'An electrolytic cell embodying therein a container or tank for theelectrolyte form-- ing an electrode, closure means for the to of saidtank, a partitioning electrode (11- viding said tank into twocommunicating electrolyte compartments, consisting of a plurality ofparallel plates of small crosssectional area and a terminal bar extendinbetween said plates and mechanically an electrically connected therewithat a point or pointswell within the edges thereof, conductor-stripsmechanically and electrically connected with said tank intermediate thetop and bottom along opposite sides thereof, a plurality of terminalbars connected with and strips, said tank and said-electrode being ofthe same polarity, inner electrodes of opposite polarity to said tankandsaid partitioning electrode and arranged upon oppooint being formedabout site sides of said partitioningelectrode and between same and thewall of said tank, terminal bars for said inner electrodes, meansco-operating with said closure. means for preventing the commingling ofcent the top of the cell, and di'ap ragms extending from said last namedmeans .within said compartment and about each of said inner electrodes,the terminal bar for said lgases adj apartitioning electrode projectingthrough and beyond the wall of said tank, and a liquid-tight joint beingformedbetween said bar and said wall, and said inner electrode terminalbars projecting through and beyond said closure means, and a gas-ti htsaid bars, where y short-circuiting of the cell through the cover isprevented. l

, 9." An electrolytic cell embodying therein a container or tank'for theelectrolyte forming an electrode, closure means for the to of said tank,a partitioning/ electrode (11- viding said tank into two communicatingelectrolyte compartments, consisting of a pluralityof parallel plates ofsmall-cross.

sectional area and a terminal bar extendin between said plates andmechanically an electrically connected therewith at a point' edgesthereof, con .ductor strips mechanically and electrically or points wellwithin the connected with said tank intermediate the top and bottomalong opposite sides thereof, a plurality of terminal bars connectedwith said strips, said tank and said electrode being of the samepolarity, inner electrodes of opposite polarity to said tank and saidpartitionin electrode arranged. upon opposite sides 0' said partitioningelectrodeand between same and the wall of said tank, each of said innerelectrodes consisting of plates of small cross-sectional area and aterminal bar extending between said plates and mechanically andelectrically connected therewith at a point or points. well within theedges thereof, means co-operating 'withsaid closure means for reventingthe com mingling ofigases a acent the topoi the cell, and diaphragmsextending from said la'stnamed means within said compartment and abouteach of said inner electrodes, the

various terminal bars all being of relatively greater cross-sectionalarea than the electrodes1 with which they are electrically connecte Inwitness whereof I have hereunto 5 1st day of October, 1921;.

in Signature this y I I G H.

